Reclaimed Materials

What are reclaimed materials?

Reclaimed materials are materials that have already been used in buildings but that are then re-used as construction materials without reprocessing. These materials are usually taken from buildings that have been deconstructed instead of demolished because there isn’t anything salvageable from a demolished building. These materials can be used in the way they were originally intended for or given a new purpose.

Benefits of reclaimed materials:

CONSERVES ENERGY: Using reclaimed materials reduces the need to produce and manufacture new materials. Therefore, reusing conserves energy, reduces air and water pollution, reduces greenhouse gases, and conserves natural resources. Even if a reclaimed material needs to be processed in order to be used again, the energy required to is far lower than what is needed to harvest or manufacture new materials.
DIVERTS LANDFILL WASTE: When a building is demolished, it creates a lot of waste that ends up in landfills. By reusing some of the existing building materials, the amount of waste going to the landfill is reduced.
REDUCE COST: Using reclaimed materials can help save money. Sometimes the materials are even free.
ADDED CHARACTER: Reclaimed materials and items often bring more character into a design whether it relates to the natural environment outside or the architectural style of the building.

Examples of reclaimed materials:

Reclaimed wood floors or beams from old budling can be reused as floor, wall covering, beams, and furniture
Reclaimed tree trunks and branches can be used as beams, columns, accent pieces, and furniture
Furniture can be reused, restored or uncycled into new pieces